LAHORE: A large number of people from all walks of life attended the funeral prayers of noted industrialist, businessman and former PIA Chairman Muhammad Azam Saigol at his Gulberg residence here on Saturday.

He was later laid to rest in the Guru Mangat Road graveyard. Azam Saigol, 67, the husband of Dawn Media Group Chairperson Ms Amber Haroon Saigol, had passed away on Wednesday in a hospital in Boston, US, after battling a rare disease for over a year.

Qul will be held at his residence at 100-E-1 Ghalib Road, Gulberg III, on Sunday (today) at 2pm.

Dua will be offered at 4.30pm.

Businessmen, journalists, bankers, politicians, colleagues and friends from Lahore, Karachi and other cities attended the funeral prayers.

Those who attended the funeral included National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, industrialists Mian Mansha, Tariq Sayeed Saigol, PCB Chairman Najam Sethi, renowned architect Nayyar Ali Dada, former foreign minister Khursheed Kasuri, veteran journalist and human rights activist I A Rehman, journalists Arif Nizami, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, Barrister Salman Akram Raja, Former SBP Governor Shahid Kardar, former Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences chief executive Prof Dr Javed Akram, politicians Jahangir Khan Tareen, Ejazul Haq, Humayun Akhtar Khan, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Waleed Iqbal, Ishaq Khakwani and Apnec chairman Shafiuddin Ashraf. Born on Nov 17, 1951, Mr Saigol was the youngest of his eight siblings – the children of Mian Yousuf Saigol, one of Pakistan’s pioneering businessmen and founder of the Saigol/Kohinoor textile and business empire.

Mr Saigol completed his schooling at the Aitchison College in Lahore and went to the Government College for graduation. Later, he completed his Bachelor’s in economics and economic history from Brasenose College, University of Oxford, UK.

Mr Saigol started his business career in Lahore with his family’s Kohinoor Group and spent most of his life in Pakistan, managing the family’s textile, electrical and property businesses. He served the Kohinoor enterprises in various capacities – as executive director (ED) and chief executive officer (CEO), and as ED and CEO of Saritow Spinning Mills Ltd, besides serving as a non-executive director of Pak Elektron Ltd.

In May 2016, he became the chairman of Pakistan International Airlines and served the national flag carrier till the end of that year.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2018